Second Place

By Rachel Cusk

LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE.

RECIPIENT OF THE PRIX FEMINA ÉTRANGER.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE GOVERNER GENERAL'S AWARD

'The most singular book ... a psychodrama that is both timeless and up-to-the-minute.' Guardian

'A classic, but with contemporary urgency thumping through it.' Claire-Louise Bennett

'A novel of deep insight and scarring honesty.' Independent

A woman invites a famed artist to the remote coastal landscape where she lives. Drawn to his paintings, she believes his vision may penetrate the mystery at the centre of her life.

But as a long, dry summer sets in, his provocative presence soon twists the patterns of her secluded household.